Experts call for efforts to conserve and preserve manuscripts in Uttarakhand
MUSSOORIE: The National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) will provide support to all those people involved in the conservation of manuscripts in Uttarakhand, mission’s national awareness co-ordinator Sridhar Barik said on Sunday.
“It is the responsibility of all to work towards the conservation and preservation of manuscripts,” said Barik during a workshop held in Mussoorie on the occasion of the World Heritage Day .
Along with the workshop, an awareness camp and an exhibition were held by NMM, Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, Union ministry of culture, and Purana Durbar House of Archaeological and Archival Collection Trust.
Experts showcased handwritten and rare manuscripts from Uttarakhand and stressed the need for conserving them for the use of future generations.
“The manuscripts displayed here are of immense historical significance and rare to be found,” said Barik.
NMM coordinator of Uttarakhand region Bhavani Pratap Singh said, “In today’s era, it is very necessary to organize such programmes so that the common people can be made aware of their cultural heritage and they play an important role in the promotion of culture.”
Manujendra Shah, the patron of Purana Durbar House of Archaeological and Archival Collection Trust and chief guest on the occasion, said, “Uttarakhand is a culturally and historically rich region and it is the duty of all to be sensitive towards our cultural heritage. I appeal to the youth to work for the conservation and preservation in the field of archiving and archaeology.”
The manuscripts kept at the Heritage Centre at Landour Bazaar in Mussoorie, which is run by Surbhi Agarwal, were the major attraction of the exhibition.
Mussoorie Municipal Board president Anuj Gupta, who was the special guest on the occasion, announced that Mussoorie will soon have its own museum where rare artefacts collected by the historians will be showcased to the tourists. “The construction work for the museum that will be located at Mall Road is going on and will be completed after the tourist season is over,” Gupta sid.
Manujendra Shah felicitated the dignitaries involved in the conservation and preservation of culture, heritage, and manuscripts. Those felicitated were Gopal Bhardwaj, local historian, Ganesh Shaili, eminent author, Sameer Shukla, the director of Soham Himalayan Heritage Centre and designer of Uttarakhand cap that was worn by PM Narendra Modi on the Republic day, Ruskin Bond, writer, and Anil Chaudhry, teacher from Wynberg Allen School, among others.
The participants got the opportunity to go through important manuscripts of Uttarakhand that were on display at the exhibition, which included Sabhagar manuscript composed by Maharaj Sudarshan Shah, Fateh Shah, written by Ratan Kavi, handwritten manuscript Vichitra Natak. written by the tenth Guru of Sikhs Guru Govind Singh, Vastu Shiromani, composed by Shankar Guru, as well as tantra and astrological texts composed in Garhwali language.
The experts also displayed the ways to conserve manuscripts through live demonstrations, so that the people who have such rare manuscripts in their homes are able to prevent their degradation
Archana Dimri, programme coordinator, thanks all participants for their support.